Reena Thomas, MD PhD

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Reena Thomas, MD PhD

Neuro-oncologist

Clinical Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences Clinical Associate Professor (By courtesy), Neurosurgery

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Additional Languages Spoken:

Spanish

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Biography

Dr. Reena Thomas, MD, PhD, is a Clinical Professor in Neuro Oncology at Stanford Medicine leading a translational research team in immune-based therapy for cancer. Holding dual degrees in medicine and molecular immunology, Dr. Thomas has worked for more than two decades to integrate clinical expertise with a deep understanding of cellular immunotherapy mechanisms and burgeoning technologies such as CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T lymphocyte) cell therapy. These scientific advancements center foremost on improving outcomes for her patients with central nervous system tumors and all those impacted by neurologic complications of cancer.

As a leader in translational research, Dr. Thomas secured a $12 million award in 2023 to spearhead CAR-T cell therapy innovation for glioblastoma brain tumors, working with her team to revolutionize treatment possibilities and outcomes for patients. She brings more than a decade of experience serving as principal investigator on several NIH funded research programs and trials including a study that established the new standard of care for using checkpoint inhibitor immune therapy for melanoma brain metastasis. Her dedication to advancing medical knowledge is grounded in providing hope to families and bringing her diverse lived experience and scientific accomplishments to bear in the fight against cancer.

In parallel to ongoing research efforts, Dr. Thomas has embraced leadership roles in medical education. As the Fellowship Program Director and Education Chief for Neuro-Oncology at Stanford Medicine, Dr. Thomas mentored and trained the next generation of neuro-oncology specialists, fostering a culture of excellence in both clinical care and research. Her commitment to medical education expanded through subsequent roles as Associate Dean and most recently Senior Associate Dean of Medical Education for Stanford Medicine. In these positions, Dr. Thomas has worked to enhance curriculum design, integrate cutting-edge research into clinical training, and promote interdisciplinary collaboration, ensuring that our trainees are well-equipped to lead the future of academic medicine and beyond.

Dr. Thomas' administrative experience has enabled her to build collaborative teams, secure research funding, and manage large-scale, multi-institutional research programs. Additionally, her deep involvement in education has provided her with valuable perspectives on how to mentor young scientists and clinicians, helping them to navigate the complex intersections of patient care, research, and academic development. This commitment to continuing the pursuit of groundbreaking discoveries in brain tumor immunology while shaping the academic and clinical leaders of tomorrow is the driving force of her career in medicine.

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Professional Summary

Education & Certifications

Internship: Georgetown University School of Medicine (2010) DC
Medical Education: Georgetown University School of Medicine (2009) DC
Fellowship: Stanford University School of Medicine (2014) CA

BA, Cornell University, Biology; Neurobiology and Behavior (2002)

PhD, City of Hope Graduate School of Biological Sciences, City of Hope Cancer Center, Molecular Immunology (2006)

Residency: Stanford University School of Medicine (2013) CA

Board Certification: American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Neurology (2014)

Honors & Awards

Graduating Resident Teaching Award, Stanford Neurology (July 2013)
Mentor of the Year, 1st Gen Mentorship Program, Stanford School of Medicine (November 2018)
Principal Investigator of SPARK Grant, Stanford University (2015-2018)

Silicon Valley Top 40 under 40, Silicon Valley Business Journal (December 2014)

Stanford Faculty Development Grant, Hispanic Center of Excellence (2015, 2018)

Memberships

Member, American Academy of Neurology (2010 - Present)
Member, Society for Neuro Oncology (2011 - Present)
Member, Stanford Society of Physician Scholars (2011 - Present)

Board Certified, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (2014 - Present)

Member, American Society of Clinical Oncology (2015 - Present)

Administrative Appointments

Adult Neuro Oncology Fellowship Program Director, Stanford Hospital (2014 - 2021)
Associate Dean, Diversity in Medical Education, Stanford School of Medicine (2020 - 2024)
Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Department of Neurology (2017 - 2021)

Education Chief of Neuro Oncology, Department of Neurology (2017 - 2020)

Senior Associate Dean of Medical Education, Stanford School of Medicine (2024 - Present)

Vice Chair, Diversity and Inclusion, Department of Neurology (2021 - 2024)

Publications

Advances in the management of glioblastoma: the role of temozolomide and MGMT testing.
Thomas, R. P., Recht, L., & Nagpal, S. (2013). Advances in the management of glioblastoma: the role of temozolomide and MGMT testing. Clinical Pharmacology : Advances and Applications, 5, 1–9.
The incidence and significance of multiple lesions in glioblastoma
Thomas, R. P., Xu, L. W., Lober, R. M., Li, G., & Nagpal, S. (2013). The incidence and significance of multiple lesions in glioblastoma. JOURNAL OF NEURO-ONCOLOGY, 112(1), 91–97.
Simultaneous perfusion and permeability measurements using combined spin- and gradient-echo MRI.
Schmiedeskamp, H., Andre, J. B., Straka, M., Christen, T., Nagpal, S., Recht, L., … Bammer, R. (2013). Simultaneous perfusion and permeability measurements using combined spin- and gradient-echo MRI. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism , 33(5), 732–43.

PRELIMINARY RESULTS UTILIZING VESSEL SIZE IMAGING AS A METRIC OF RESPONSE IN GLIOBLASTOMA MULTIFORME
Andre, J. B., Schmiedeskamp, H., Thomas, R. P., Feroze, A., Nagpal, S., Zaharchuk, G., … Bammer, R. (2012). PRELIMINARY RESULTS UTILIZING VESSEL SIZE IMAGING AS A METRIC OF RESPONSE IN GLIOBLASTOMA MULTIFORME. Presented at the 17th Annual Scientific Meeting and Education Day of the Society-for-Neuro-Oncology (SNO), WASHINGTON,DC,DC,DC,DC,DC: OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC.

Quantification of chemotherapeutic target gene mRNA expression in human breast cancer biopsies: Comparison of real-time reverse transcription-PCR vs. relative quantification reverse transcription-PCR utilizing DNA sequencer analysis of PCR products
Juhasz, A., Frankel, P., Cheng, C., Rivera, H., Vishwanath, R., Chiu, A., … Doroshow, J. H. (2003). Quantification of chemotherapeutic target gene mRNA expression in human breast cancer biopsies: Comparison of real-time reverse transcription-PCR vs. relative quantification reverse transcription-PCR utilizing DNA sequencer analysis of PCR products. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL LABORATORY ANALYSIS, 17(5), 184–94.

Biophotonic cytotoxicity assay for high-throughput screening of cytolytic killing
Brown, C. E., Wright, C. L., Naranjo, A., Vishwanath, R. P., Chang, W. C., Olivares, S., … Jensen, M. C. (2005). Biophotonic cytotoxicity assay for high-throughput screening of cytolytic killing. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGICAL METHODS, 297(1-2), 39–52.

A quantitative high-throughput chemotaxis assay using bioluminescent reporter cells
Vishwanath, R. P., Brown, C. E., Wagner, J. R., Meechoovet, H. B., Naranjo, A., Wright, C. L., … Jensen, M. C. (2005). A quantitative high-throughput chemotaxis assay using bioluminescent reporter cells. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGICAL METHODS, 302(1-2), 78–89.

Tumor-derived chemokine MCP-1/CCL2 is sufficient for mediating tumor tropism of adoptively transferred T cells
Brown, C. E., Vishwanath, R. P., Aguilar, B., Starr, R., Najbauer, J., Aboody, K. S., & Jensen, M. C. (2007). Tumor-derived chemokine MCP-1/CCL2 is sufficient for mediating tumor tropism of adoptively transferred T cells. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, 179(5), 3332–3341.

Treatment options for optic pathway gliomas.
Thomas, R. P., Gibbs, I. C., Xu, L. W., & Recht, L. (2015). Treatment options for optic pathway gliomas. Current Treatment Options in Neurology, 17(2), 333-?

Phase II pilot study of single-agent etirinotecan pegol (NKTR-102) in bevacizumab-resistant high grade glioma
Nagpal, S., Recht, C. K., Bertrand, S., Thomas, R. P., Ajlan, A., Pena, J., … Recht, L. D. (2015). Phase II pilot study of single-agent etirinotecan pegol (NKTR-102) in bevacizumab-resistant high grade glioma. JOURNAL OF NEURO-ONCOLOGY, 123(2), 277–82.

Treatment Options for Optic Pathway Gliomas
Thomas, R. P., Gibbs, I. C., Xu, L. W., & Recht, L. (2015). Treatment Options for Optic Pathway Gliomas. CURRENT TREATMENT OPTIONS IN NEUROLOGY, 17(2).

Melanoma central nervous system metastases: current approaches, challenges, and opportunities
Cohen, J. V., Tawbi, H., Margolin, K. A., Amravadi, R., Bosenberg, M., Brastianos, P. K., … Kluger, H. M. (2016). Melanoma central nervous system metastases: current approaches, challenges, and opportunities. PIGMENT CELL & MELANOMA RESEARCH, 29(6), 627–42.

Phase 1/2 Trial of 5-Fraction Stereotactic Radiosurgery With 5-mm Margins With Concurrent and Adjuvant Temozolomide in Newly Diagnosed Supratentorial Glioblastoma: Health-Related Quality of Life Results.
Pollom, E. L., Fujimoto, D., Wynne, J., Seiger, K., Modlin, L. A., Jacobs, L. R., … Soltys, S. G. (2017). Phase 1/2 Trial of 5-Fraction Stereotactic Radiosurgery With 5-mm Margins With Concurrent and Adjuvant Temozolomide in Newly Diagnosed Supratentorial Glioblastoma: Health-Related Quality of Life Results. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics, 98(1), 123–30.

THE INCIDENCE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF MULTIPLE LESIONS IN GLIOBLASTOMA
Xu, L. W., Thomas, R. P., Lober, R. M., Nagpal, S., & Li, G. (2012). THE INCIDENCE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF MULTIPLE LESIONS IN GLIOBLASTOMA. NEURO-ONCOLOGY. OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC.

ARE WE USING TOO MUCH BEVACIZUMAB IN OUR GBM PATIENTS?
Ajlan, A., Thomas, P., Thomas, R., Nagpal, S., & Recht, L. (2014). ARE WE USING TOO MUCH BEVACIZUMAB IN OUR GBM PATIENTS? NEURO-ONCOLOGY, 16.

Conditional Probability of Survival as a Proposed Endpoint for Future Single-Arm Clinical Trials in Glioblastoma
Patel, C. B., Thomas, R. P., Nagpal, S., & Recht, L. D. (2017). Conditional Probability of Survival as a Proposed Endpoint for Future Single-Arm Clinical Trials in Glioblastoma. ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY, 82, S206–S207.

COMPLETE RESPONSE TO VEMURAFINIB IN A PATIENT WITH METASTATIC ANAPLASTIC XANTHROASTROCYTOMA
Thomas, R., Ajlan, A., Ziskin, J., Soltys, S., Reddy, S., Recht, L., & Nagpal, S. (2014). COMPLETE RESPONSE TO VEMURAFINIB IN A PATIENT WITH METASTATIC ANAPLASTIC XANTHROASTROCYTOMA. NEURO-ONCOLOGY. OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC.

Anti-PD-1-associated inflammatory-demyelinating lesions in patients with brain metastases
Samghabadi, P., Makar, S., Thomas, R., Pelpola, J., Reddy, S., Tranvinh, E., … Sobel, R. (2017). Anti-PD-1-associated inflammatory-demyelinating lesions in patients with brain metastases. JOURNAL OF NEUROPATHOLOGY AND EXPERIMENTAL NEUROLOGY. OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC.

Combined Nivolumab and Ipilimumab in Melanoma Metastatic to the Brain.
Tawbi, H. A., Forsyth, P. A., Algazi, A., Hamid, O., Hodi, F. S., Moschos, S. J., … Margolin, K. (2018). Combined Nivolumab and Ipilimumab in Melanoma Metastatic to the Brain. The New England Journal of Medicine, 379(8), 722–30.

Quantification of Macrophages in High-Grade Gliomas by Using Ferumoxytol-enhanced MRI: A Pilot Study.
Iv, M., Samghabadi, P., Holdsworth, S., Gentles, A., Rezaii, P., Harsh, G., … Yeom, K. W. (2018). Quantification of Macrophages in High-Grade Gliomas by Using Ferumoxytol-enhanced MRI: A Pilot Study. Radiology, 181204.

Melanoma central nervous system metastases: An update to approaches, challenges, and opportunities.
Eroglu, Z., Holmen, S. L., Chen, Q., Khushalani, N. I., Amaravadi, R., Thomas, R., … Smalley, K. S. (2019). Melanoma central nervous system metastases: An update to approaches, challenges, and opportunities. Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research.

Rooting out racial stereotypes in Neurology: A commentary on "Lucky and the root doctor".
Hamilton, R. H., McClean, J. C., Greicius, M. D., Gamaldo, C. E., Burrus, T. M., Charleston, L. 4th, … Flippen, C. C. (2019). Rooting out racial stereotypes in Neurology: A commentary on "Lucky and the root doctor". Neurology.

Melanoma central nervous system metastases: An update to approaches, challenges, and opportunities
Eroglu, Z., Holmen, S. L., Chen, Q., Khushalani, N. I., Amaravadi, R., Thomas, R., … Smalley, K. S. M. (2019). Melanoma central nervous system metastases: An update to approaches, challenges, and opportunities. PIGMENT CELL & MELANOMA RESEARCH, 32(3), 458–69.

Neurological Adverse Effects Due to Programmed Death (PD-1) Inhibitors
Shi, S., Kanwar, R., Varanasi, V., Eisinger, E., Thomas, R., & Moore, J. (2019). Neurological Adverse Effects Due to Programmed Death (PD-1) Inhibitors. NEUROLOGY. LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS.

EEG Findings in Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell (CAR-T) Related Encephalopathy Syndrome
Satyanarayan, S., Markert, M., Hovsepian, D., Post, D., Muffly, L., Miklos, D., … Scott, B. (2019). EEG Findings in Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell (CAR-T) Related Encephalopathy Syndrome. NEUROLOGY. LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS.

Response of metastatic glioma to vemurafenib.
Leaver, K. E., Zhang, N., Ziskin, J. L., Vogel, H., Recht, L., & Thomas, R. P. (2016). Response of metastatic glioma to vemurafenib. Neuro-Oncology Practice, 3(4), 268–271.

Rooting out racial stereotypes in Neurology (R) A commentary on "Lucky and the root doctor"
Hamilton, R. H., McClean, J. C., Greicius, M. D., Gamaldo, C. E., Burrus, T. M., Charleston, L., … Flippen, C. C. (2019). Rooting out racial stereotypes in Neurology (R) A commentary on "Lucky and the root doctor". NEUROLOGY, 92(22), 1029–32.

Perfusion MRI-Based Fractional Tumor Burden Differentiates between Tumor and Treatment Effect in Recurrent Glioblastomas and Informs Clinical Decision-Making.
Iv, M., Liu, X., Lavezo, J., Gentles, A. J., Ghanem, R., Lummus, S., … Fischbein, N. (2019). Perfusion MRI-Based Fractional Tumor Burden Differentiates between Tumor and Treatment Effect in Recurrent Glioblastomas and Informs Clinical Decision-Making. AJNR. American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Macrophage Exclusion after Radiation Therapy (MERT): A First in Human Phase I/II Trial using a CXCR4 Inhibitor in Glioblastoma.
Thomas, R. P., Nagpal, S., Iv, M., Soltys, S. G., Bertrand, S., Pelpola, J. S., … Recht, L. (2019). Macrophage Exclusion after Radiation Therapy (MERT): A First in Human Phase I/II Trial using a CXCR4 Inhibitor in Glioblastoma. Clinical Cancer Research : an Official Journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Efficacy and safety of the combination of nivolumab (NIVO) plus ipilimumab (IPI) in patients with symptomatic melanoma brain metastases (CheckMate 204).
Tawbi, H. A.-H., Forsyth, P. A. J., Hodi, F. S., Lao, C. D., Moschos, S. J., Hamid, O., … Margolin, K. A. (2019). Efficacy and safety of the combination of nivolumab (NIVO) plus ipilimumab (IPI) in patients with symptomatic melanoma brain metastases (CheckMate 204). JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY, 37(15).

Nodular Leptomeningeal Disease - A Distinct Pattern of Recurrence After Post-Resection Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Brain Metastases: A Multi-Institutional Study of Inter-Observer Reliability.
Turner, B. E., Prabhu, R. S., Burri, S. H., Brown, P. D., Pollom, E. L., Milano, M. T., … Soltys, S. G. (2019). Nodular Leptomeningeal Disease - A Distinct Pattern of Recurrence After Post-Resection Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Brain Metastases: A Multi-Institutional Study of Inter-Observer Reliability. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics.

Macrophage exclusion after radiation therapy (MERT): A new and effective way to increase the therapeutic ratio of radiotherapy.
Brown, J. M., Thomas, R., Nagpal, S., & Recht, L. (2019). Macrophage exclusion after radiation therapy (MERT): A new and effective way to increase the therapeutic ratio of radiotherapy. Radiotherapy and Oncology : Journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, 144, 159–64.

Efficacy and safety of the combination of nivolumab (NIVO) plus ipilimumab (IPI) in patients with symptomatic melanoma brain metastases (MBM; CheckMate 204)
Tawbi, H., Forsyth, P., Hodi, F. S., Lao, C., Moschos, S., Hamid, O., … Margolin, K. (2019). Efficacy and safety of the combination of nivolumab (NIVO) plus ipilimumab (IPI) in patients with symptomatic melanoma brain metastases (MBM; CheckMate 204). BRITISH JOURNAL OF CANCER, 121, 20.

A Phase I/II Trial of 5-Fraction Stereotactic Radiosurgery with 5-mm Margins with Concurrent Temozolomide in Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma: Primary Outcomes.
Azoulay, M., Chang, S. D., Gibbs, I. C., Hancock, S. L., Pollom, E. L., Harsh, G. R., … Soltys, S. G. (2020). A Phase I/II Trial of 5-Fraction Stereotactic Radiosurgery with 5-mm Margins with Concurrent Temozolomide in Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma: Primary Outcomes. Neuro-Oncology.

EVALUATION OF [18F]DASA-23 FOR NON-INVASIVE MEASUREMENT OF ABERRANTLY EXPRESSED PYRUVATE KINASE M2 IN GLIOMA: FIRST-IN-HUMAN STUDY
Patel, C., Beinat, C., Haywood, T., Murty, S., Xie, Y., Recht, L., … Gambhir, S. (2019). EVALUATION OF [18F]DASA-23 FOR NON-INVASIVE MEASUREMENT OF ABERRANTLY EXPRESSED PYRUVATE KINASE M2 IN GLIOMA: FIRST-IN-HUMAN STUDY. NEURO-ONCOLOGY, 21, 169.

A PHASE 1 STUDY OF BPM31510 PLUS VITAMIN K IN SUBJECTS WITH HIGH-GRADE GLIOMA THAT HAS RECURRED ON A BEVACIZUMAB-CONTAINING REGIMEN
Recht, L., Thomas, R., Bertrand, S., Yerballa, P., Li, G., Iv, M., … Nagpal, S. (2019). A PHASE 1 STUDY OF BPM31510 PLUS VITAMIN K IN SUBJECTS WITH HIGH-GRADE GLIOMA THAT HAS RECURRED ON A BEVACIZUMAB-CONTAINING REGIMEN. NEURO-ONCOLOGY, 21, 27.

Evaluating Surgical Resection Extent and Adjuvant Therapy in the Management of Gliosarcoma.
Jin, M. C., Liu, E. K., Shi, S., Gibbs, I. C., Thomas, R., Recht, L., … Li, G. (2020). Evaluating Surgical Resection Extent and Adjuvant Therapy in the Management of Gliosarcoma. Frontiers in Oncology, 10, 337.

Neurological adverse effects due to programmed death 1 (PD-1) inhibitors.
Shi, S., Jaoube, J. A., Kanwar, R., Jin, M. C., Amorin, A., Varanasi, V., … Moore, J. M. (2020). Neurological adverse effects due to programmed death 1 (PD-1) inhibitors. Journal of Neuro-Oncology.

Impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on 1-year survival in glioblastoma patients.
Moghavem, N., Oh, D. L., Santiago-Rodriguez, E. J., Tate, W. J., Gomez, S. L., & Thomas, R. (2020). Impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on 1-year survival in glioblastoma patients. Neuro-Oncology Advances, 2(1), vdaa080.

Intracranial Tumor Control Following Immune-Related Adverse Events and Discontinuation of Immunotherapy for Melanoma.
Zhang, M., Rodrigues, A. J., Bhambhvani, H. P., Fatemi, P., Pollom, E. L., Gibbs, I. C., … Li, G. (2020). Intracranial Tumor Control Following Immune-Related Adverse Events and Discontinuation of Immunotherapy for Melanoma. World Neurosurgery.

Phase I study of BPM31510 and vitamin K in patients with high grade glioma recurrent after a bevacizumab-containing regimen.
Nagpal, S., Thomas, R. P., Bertrand, S., Yerraballa, H. P., Iv, M., Li, G., … Recht, L. D. (2020). Phase I study of BPM31510 and vitamin K in patients with high grade glioma recurrent after a bevacizumab-containing regimen. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY, 38(15).

Developing the Neurology Diversity Officer: A Roadmap for Academic Neurology Departments.
Mohile, N. A., Spector, A. R., Ebong, I. M., Flippen, C. 2nd, Gutierrez, C., Leacock, R. O., … Hamilton, R. H. (2021). Developing the Neurology Diversity Officer: A Roadmap for Academic Neurology Departments. Neurology.

Recurrent Status Epilepticus in the Setting of Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-T Cell Therapy
Reveron-Thornton, R., Scott, B. J., Post, D., Finley Caulfield, A., Werbaneth, K., Hovsepian, D. A., … Patel, C. B. (2021). Recurrent Status Epilepticus in the Setting of Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-T Cell Therapy. The Neurohospitalist, 74–79.

Safety and Efficacy of the Combination of Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab in Patients With Melanoma and Asymptomatic or Symptomatic Brain Metastases (CheckMate 204).
Tawbi, H. A., Forsyth, P. A., Hodi, F. S., Lao, C. D., Moschos, S. J., Hamid, O., … Margolin, K. A. (2021). Safety and Efficacy of the Combination of Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab in Patients With Melanoma and Asymptomatic or Symptomatic Brain Metastases (CheckMate 204). Neuro-Oncology.

EGFR-targeted intraoperative fluorescence imaging detects high-grade glioma with panitumumab-IRDye800 in a phase 1 clinical trial
Zhou, Q., van den Berg, N. S., Rosenthal, E. L., Iv, M., Zhang, M., Vega Leonel, J. C. M., … Li, G. (2021). EGFR-targeted intraoperative fluorescence imaging detects high-grade glioma with panitumumab-IRDye800 in a phase 1 clinical trial. Theranostics, 11(15).

EGFR-targeted intraoperative fluorescence imaging detects high-grade glioma with panitumumab-IRDye800 in a phase 1 clinical trial.
Zhou, Q., van den Berg, N. S., Rosenthal, E. L., Iv, M., Zhang, M., Vega Leonel, J. C., … Li, G. (2021). EGFR-targeted intraoperative fluorescence imaging detects high-grade glioma with panitumumab-IRDye800 in a phase 1 clinical trial. Theranostics, 11(15), 7130–7143.

A Clinical PET Imaging Tracer ([18F]DASA-23) to Monitor Pyruvate Kinase M2 Induced Glycolytic Reprogramming in Glioblastoma.
Beinat, C., Patel, C. B., Haywood, T., Murty, S., Naya, L., Castillo, J. B., … Gambhir, S. S. (2021). A Clinical PET Imaging Tracer ([18F]DASA-23) to Monitor Pyruvate Kinase M2 Induced Glycolytic Reprogramming in Glioblastoma. Clinical Cancer Research : an Official Journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Long-term outcomes of patients with active melanoma brain metastases treated with combination nivolumab plus ipilimumab (CheckMate 204): final results of an open-label, multicentre, phase 2 study.
Tawbi, H. A., Forsyth, P. A., Hodi, F. S., Algazi, A. P., Hamid, O., Lao, C. D., … Margolin, K. A. (2021). Long-term outcomes of patients with active melanoma brain metastases treated with combination nivolumab plus ipilimumab (CheckMate 204): final results of an open-label, multicentre, phase 2 study. The Lancet. Oncology.

Outcomes From a Novel Graduate Medical Education Leadership Program in Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Powell, C., Yemane, L., Brooks, M., Johnson, C., Alvarez, A., Bandstra, B., … Blankenburg, R. (2021). Outcomes From a Novel Graduate Medical Education Leadership Program in Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 13(6).

Modifiers of and Disparities in Palliative and Supportive Care Timing and Utilization among Neurosurgical Patients with Malignant Central Nervous System Tumors.
Jin, M. C., Hsin, G., Ratliff, J., Thomas, R., Zygourakis, C. C., Li, G., & Wu, A. (2022). Modifiers of and Disparities in Palliative and Supportive Care Timing and Utilization among Neurosurgical Patients with Malignant Central Nervous System Tumors. Cancers, 14(10).

Radiation Therapy for IDH-Mutant Grade 2 and Grade 3 Diffuse Glioma: An ASTRO Clinical Practice Guideline.
Halasz, L. M., Attia, A., Bradfield, L., Brat, D. J., Kirkpatrick, J. P., Laack, N. N., … Shih, H. A. (2022). Radiation Therapy for IDH-Mutant Grade 2 and Grade 3 Diffuse Glioma: An ASTRO Clinical Practice Guideline. Practical Radiation Oncology.

Continuous EEG monitoring detects nonconvulsive seizure and Ictal-Interictal Continuum abnormalities in moderate to severe ICANS following systemic CAR-T therapy
Satyanarayan, S., Spiegel, J., Hovsepian, D., Markert, M., Thomas, R., Muffly, L., … Scott, B. J. (2022). Continuous EEG monitoring detects nonconvulsive seizure and Ictal-Interictal Continuum abnormalities in moderate to severe ICANS following systemic CAR-T therapy. NEUROHOSPITALIST.

Continuous EEG monitoring detects nonconvulsive seizure and Ictal-Interictal Continuum abnormalities in moderate to severe ICANS following systemic CAR-T therapy.
Satyanarayan, S., Spiegel, J., Hovsepian, D., Markert, M., Thomas, R., Muffly, L., … Scott, B. J. (2023). Continuous EEG monitoring detects nonconvulsive seizure and Ictal-Interictal Continuum abnormalities in moderate to severe ICANS following systemic CAR-T therapy. The Neurohospitalist, 13(1), 53–60.

Patterns of Progression in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma Treated with 5 mm Margins on a Phase I/II Trial of 5 Fraction Stereotactic Radiosurgery with Concurrent and Adjuvant Temozolomide.
Mendoza, M. G., Azoulay, M., Chang, S. D., Gibbs, I. C., Hancock, S. L., Pollom, E. L., … Soltys, S. G. (2023). Patterns of Progression in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma Treated with 5 mm Margins on a Phase I/II Trial of 5 Fraction Stereotactic Radiosurgery with Concurrent and Adjuvant Temozolomide. Practical Radiation Oncology.

Selective prediction for extracting unstructured clinical data.
Swaminathan, A., Lopez, I., Wang, W., Srivastava, U., Tran, E., Bhargava-Shah, A., … Gevaert, O. (2023). Selective prediction for extracting unstructured clinical data. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIA.

Tumor treating fields increases blood-brain barrier permeability and relative cerebral blood volume in patients with glioblastoma.
Iv, M., Naya, L., Sanan, S., Van Buskirk, S. L., Nagpal, S., Thomas, R. P., … Patel, C. B. (2023). Tumor treating fields increases blood-brain barrier permeability and relative cerebral blood volume in patients with glioblastoma. The Neuroradiology Journal, 19714009231207083.

Extraction of Unstructured Electronic Health Records to Evaluate Glioblastoma Treatment Patterns.
Swaminathan, A., Ren, A. L., Wu, J. Y., Bhargava-Shah, A., Lopez, I., Srivastava, U., … Gevaert, O. (2024). Extraction of Unstructured Electronic Health Records to Evaluate Glioblastoma Treatment Patterns. JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics, 8, e2300091.

Underrepresented in Medicine Trainees' Sense of Belonging and Professional Identity Formation after Participation in the Leadership Education in Advancing Diversity Program.
Yemane, L., Powell, C., Edwards, J., Shumba, T., Alvarez, A., Bandstra, B., … Blankenburg, R. (2024). Underrepresented in Medicine Trainees' Sense of Belonging and Professional Identity Formation after Participation in the Leadership Education in Advancing Diversity Program. Academic Pediatrics.

A phase II study of plerixafor combined with whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) for patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma
Cao, T., Gu, Y., Yagmurlu, B., Yerraballa, H. P., Bertrand, S., Naya, L., … Recht, L. D. (2024). A phase II study of plerixafor combined with whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) for patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY. LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS.

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate a new medical approach, device, drug, or other treatment. As a Stanford Health Care patient, you may have access to the latest, advanced clinical trials.

Open trials refer to studies currently accepting participants. Closed trials are not currently enrolling, but may open in the future.

Open Trials Closed Trials

A Therapy Treatment Response Trial in Patients With Leptomeningeal Metastases ((LM) Using CNSide

An Investigational Immuno-therapy Study to Evaluate Safety and Effectiveness in Patients With Melanoma That Has Spread to the Brain, Treated With Nivolumab in Combination With Ipilimumab, Followed by Nivolumab by Itself

The Toca 5 Trial: Toca 511 & Toca FC Versus Standard of Care in Patients With Recurrent High Grade Glioma

BPM31510 in Treating Patients With Recurrent High-Grade Glioma Previously Treated With Bevacizumab

[18F]DASA-23 and PET Scan in Evaluating Pyruvate Kinase M2 Expression in Patients With Intracranial Tumors or Recurrent Glioblastoma and Healthy Volunteers

Specializing In

Advanced Solid Tumors
Brain Metastases
Brain Tumors
Cancer
Cancer Biologics and Immunotherapy for Brain Tumors
Cellular Immunotherapy
Central nervous system tumors
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy for Brain Tumor

Glioblastoma
Glioma
Medical Oncology
Neurological Complications of Cancer Therapy
Neurology
Neuropathies Associated with Systemic Diseases
Targeted Therapy
Targeted Therapy for Melanoma

Practice Locations

Brain and Spine Tumor Center at Stanford Cancer Center Palo Alto, CA

Palo Alto, CA

Brain and Spine Tumor Center at Stanford Cancer Center

875 Blake Wilbur Drive

Palo Alto , CA 94304

(650) 498-6000

More Clinic Information

Brain and Spine Tumor Center at Stanford Neuroscience Health Center Palo Alto, CA

Palo Alto, CA

Brain and Spine Tumor Center at Stanford Neuroscience Health Center

213 Quarry Road

Palo Alto , CA 94304

(650) 497-7777

More Clinic Information

(REDIRECTING)Stanford Cancer Center Palo Alto Palo Alto, CA

Palo Alto, CA

(REDIRECTING)Stanford Cancer Center Palo Alto

875 Blake Wilbur Drive

Palo Alto , CA 94304

(650) 498-6000

More Clinic Information

Neurogenetic Cancer Palo Alto, CA

Palo Alto, CA

Neurogenetic Cancer

213 Quarry Road

Palo Alto , CA 94304

(650) 497-7777

More Clinic Information

Important Information about Our Organizations and Physician Affiliation

Stanford Health Care, Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley, and Stanford Medicine Partners are each independent nonprofit organizations that are affiliated with but separate from each other and from Stanford University. The physicians who provide care at facilities operated by Stanford Health Care, Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley, and Stanford Medicine Partners are faculty, foundation, or community physicians who are not employees, representatives, or agents of Stanford Health Care, Stanford Health Care Tri- Valley, or Stanford Medicine Partners. Stanford Health Care, Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley, and Stanford Medicine Partners do not exercise control over the care provided by such faculty, foundation, and community physicians and are not responsible for their actions.

Patient Ratings

(10 Ratings)

Overall Rating

4.9/5

View Ratings by Category

5.0/5

Friendliness

4.9/5

Explanations

5.0/5

Listens

4.8/5

Care provider's efforts to include you in decisions about your care

4.9/5

Recommended to others

0.0/5

Wait times

How Our Ratings Work

The Patients Ratings and comments are gathered from our Patient Satisfaction Survey and displayed in their entirety.

Patient Satisfaction Survey Disclaimer

Patient Reviews

(56 reviews)

Doctor was very kind and helpful to resolve my health challenge.

Oct 2023

•

Verified SHC Patient

She is very knowledgeable and caring . Iâ€™m glad she is on my health team

Oct 2023

•

Verified SHC Patient

Excellent Dr, caring and compassionate

Aug 2023

•

Verified SHC Patient

Very helpful.

Jul 2023

•

Verified SHC Patient

Outstanding Support, caring

Mar 2023

•

Verified SHC Patient

We are blessed to have her as Laurieâ€™s doctor. She is a true giftâ™¥ï¸

Dec 2022

•

Verified SHC Patient

She is very interested in her patients.

Jul 2022

•

Verified SHC Patient

She seems to be an excellent physician and I hope I can participate in her clinical trial.

Jun 2022

•

Verified SHC Patient

Five star

May 2022

•

Verified SHC Patient

Very thorough and compassionate. They have a very good team.

Mar 2022

•

Verified SHC Patient

It was a privilege to be seen by her. Her expertise and care for her patients and her work flow through her spirit.

Feb 2022

•

Verified SHC Patient

We would highly recommend her. She is very caring, and explains everything really well, so that we can all understand

Feb 2022

•

Verified SHC Patient

Samantha and Reena were awesome ! very knowledgeable & caring. We need everyone in healthcare to be like them! Great Teamwork Yall !!

Jan 2022

•

Verified SHC Patient

Great doctor that really listens and responds to you as an individual.

Oct 2021

•

Verified SHC Patient

She did a very thorough and professional job, along with a caring attitude. I was very pleased.

Sep 2021

•

Verified SHC Patient

So happy Dr. Thomas was added to my husband's team!

Jul 2021

•

Verified SHC Patient

Dr Thomas is an excellent doctor, very concerned & very informative in all areas. Highly recommend her.

Apr 2021

•

Verified SHC Patient

Dr. Thomas, is great that she speaks English and Spanish, that makes the information and explanation of my problem was better understood on my part.

Aug 2020

•

Verified SHC Patient

Outstanding service from entire staff.

May 2019

•

Verified SHC Patient

Everyone went above & beyond the call of duty - Thank you.

Apr 2019

•

Verified SHC Patient

Good.

Apr 2019

•

Verified SHC Patient

Dr. Thomas & Dr. Patel were exceptional! Feel extremely blessed to have them as my physicians.

Mar 2019

•

Verified SHC Patient

I was very impressed and feel very comfortable with Dr. Thomas' diagnosis and plan for next steps.

Mar 2019

•

Verified SHC Patient

She is a very caring MD.

Nov 2018

•

Verified SHC Patient

Dr. Thomas has helped my constant neuropathic foot pain where other doctors said nothing could be done. NOT SO with Dr. Thomas! She is outstanding & hard to equal!

Oct 2018

•

Verified SHC Patient

I am very happy w/Dr. Thomas, she is so warm and passionate.

Sep 2018

•

Verified SHC Patient

Dr. Thomas is one excellent doctor! She is not in a hurry, but listens, & then gives her advice and assistance in words I understand & appreciate. She is very caring and shows it! She is to be commended for her outstanding work & loving care you can feel!

Aug 2018

•

Verified SHC Patient

Dr. Thomas is an outstanding doctor & care provider. Forthright explanations & kind & knowledgeable,.

Jul 2018

•

Verified SHC Patient

Seeing Dr. Thomas and her staff is always an excellent experience.

Jun 2018

•

Verified SHC Patient

Everyone is ALWAYS willing to take the time to explain everything fully and answer any questions, including silly ones.

Mar 2018

•

Verified SHC Patient

Much kindness that I recommend it 100%.

Feb 2018

•

Verified SHC Patient

Dr. Thomas is always willing to answer all my questions completely - even the dumb ones.

Nov 2017

•

Verified SHC Patient

Every experience I have had with Dr. Thomas either in person, on the phone or in MyHealth has been EXCELLENT!

Oct 2017

•

Verified SHC Patient

I really like my doctor very comfortable talking with her.

Aug 2017

•

Verified SHC Patient

I can't say enough great things about Dr. Thomas. She is SO supportive with what I'm going through and always takes the time to make sure I understanding everything - including, or especially, the scary info.

Aug 2017

•

Verified SHC Patient

I have extremely high confidence in Dr. Thomas and her staff.

May 2017

•

Verified SHC Patient

It was good to talk to Dr. Thomas because she was willing to do something about it. She never acted like she was in a hurry, but showed genuine concern about my painful feet.

Jan 2017

•

Verified SHC Patient

Dr. Thomas and Dr. Makar are both excellent.

Dec 2016

•

Verified SHC Patient

I think the world of Dr. Thomas. I sometimes voice frustration with my treatment but she never takes it personally (never MEANT personally of course!) and always helps me see a different perspective which makes me feel better.

Nov 2016

•

Verified SHC Patient

Dr. Thomas and staff are extraordinary.

Oct 2016

•

Verified SHC Patient

Can't say enough wonderful things about Dr. Thomas. I have been somewhat snappy with her out of frustration, but she ALWAYS makes me feel better. She never makes me feel bad about not being 100%.

Aug 2016

•

Verified SHC Patient

Dr. Thomas is wonderful! Kind, compassionate, understanding, smart... I highly recommend her to others!

Aug 2016

•

Verified SHC Patient

Excellent, excellent, excellent!!

Aug 2016

•

Verified SHC Patient

I have recommended Stanford.

May 2016

•

Verified SHC Patient

Having a cancer diagnosis has been one of the absolutely most difficult experience of my life. Dr. Thomas and her excellent staff have done everything to make it as absolute best as possible.

Mar 2016

•

Verified SHC Patient

Dr. Thomas had to provide me with news that was not incredibly positive. She was very kind & concerned w/my reaction & ?'s. Truly appreciated this!

Feb 2016

•

Verified SHC Patient

I can barely explain how wonderful it is to be in Dr. Thomas' care. She inspired such confidence.

Jan 2016

•

Verified SHC Patient

Dr. Thomas and her staff has made an extremely frightening experience manageable by her kind and caring attitude, excellent knowledge and positive demeanor.

Jan 2016

•

Verified SHC Patient

Great experience; looking forward to next appointment.

Dec 2015

•

Verified SHC Patient

It's all good & more.

Dec 2015

•

Verified SHC Patient

Excellent experience!

Nov 2015

•

Verified SHC Patient

All good.

Nov 2015

•

Verified SHC Patient

Good follow-up via my health.

Oct 2015

•

Verified SHC Patient

I would and am all ready recommending Stanford Cancer Clinic to all my friends, clients & family members.

Oct 2015

•

Verified SHC Patient

PERFECT CARE!

Sep 2015

•

Verified SHC Patient

Dr. Thomas was very easy to talk with. Felt completely at ease with her. Felt we understood each other.

Aug 2015

•

Verified SHC Patient

Referring Physicians

PHYSICIAN HELPLINE

Phone: 1-866-742-4811
Fax: 650-320-9443
Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Stanford Health Care provides comprehensive services to refer and track patients, as well as the latest information and news for physicians and office staff. For help with all referral needs and questions, visit Referral Information.

You may also submit a web referral or complete a referral form and fax it to 650-320-9443 or email the Referral Center at ReferralCenter@stanfordhealthcare.org.

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Reena Thomas, MD PhD

Neuro-oncologist

Get In Touch

Biography

Professional Summary

Education & Certifications

Honors & Awards

Memberships

Administrative Appointments

Publications

Clinical Trials

Specializing In

Practice Locations

Brain and Spine Tumor Center at Stanford Cancer Center Palo Alto, CA

Brain and Spine Tumor Center at Stanford Cancer Center

Brain and Spine Tumor Center at Stanford Neuroscience Health Center Palo Alto, CA

Brain and Spine Tumor Center at Stanford Neuroscience Health Center

(REDIRECTING)Stanford Cancer Center Palo Alto Palo Alto, CA

(REDIRECTING)Stanford Cancer Center Palo Alto

Neurogenetic Cancer Palo Alto, CA

Neurogenetic Cancer

Important Information about Our Organizations and Physician Affiliation

Patient Ratings

How Our Ratings Work

Patient Reviews

(56 reviews)

Referring Physicians

PHYSICIAN HELPLINE

New to MyHealth?

ALREADY HAVE AN ACCESS CODE?

DON'T HAVE AN ACCESS CODE?

NEED MORE DETAILS?

MyHealth for Mobile

WELCOME BACK

Reena Thomas, MD PhD

Neuro-oncologist

Get In Touch

Biography

Professional Summary

Education & Certifications

Honors & Awards

Memberships

Administrative Appointments

Publications

Clinical Trials

Specializing In

Practice Locations

Brain and Spine Tumor Center at Stanford Cancer Center Palo Alto, CA

Brain and Spine Tumor Center at Stanford Cancer Center

Brain and Spine Tumor Center at Stanford Neuroscience Health Center Palo Alto, CA

Brain and Spine Tumor Center at Stanford Neuroscience Health Center

(REDIRECTING)Stanford Cancer Center Palo Alto Palo Alto, CA

(REDIRECTING)Stanford Cancer Center Palo Alto

Neurogenetic Cancer Palo Alto, CA

Neurogenetic Cancer

Important Information about Our Organizations and Physician Affiliation

Patient Ratings

How Our Ratings Work

Patient Reviews

(56 reviews)

Referring Physicians

PHYSICIAN HELPLINE